Chapter 198: "Boss, Han Bing and Wang Ji were beaten!"

After Fire Dragon Pass was conquered, the Shenwei Army, Zhenhai Army, and Xuanjia Army began regrouping and expanding at the newly captured pass.

In truth, there wasn't much for the Xuanjia Army and Zhenhai Army to regroup.

For the Zhenhai Army, Lan Hongming managed to get two naval units to join the land forces—one from Jiang Ming's unit and another from Li Que's unit.

Turning a naval force into a land army wasn't easy, and managing to get these two naval detachments, totaling more than 50,000 soldiers and over a hundred warships, to participate in land battles had already cost Lan Hongming considerable effort.

With no more room to maneuver, Zhenhai Army focused on repairing their warships and restocking naval equipment, but no further expansion was possible.

Meanwhile, Xia Jing led the Xuanjia Army and had more potential for expansion. Xiang Kui, also known as Marquis Mingwei, who was the commander-in-chief of the Xuanjia Army, would have gladly given Xia Jing more soldiers.

However, Young Master Xia was quite selective. He wasn't interested in just any troops. He only wanted to expand the Xuanjia Dragon Cavalry Battalion, the Xuanjia Soldiers, and establish a new Xuanjia Warship Battalion.

His demands were quite ambitious, requesting reinforcements for three elite battalions at once, which even Marquis Mingwei had to shake his head at.

If the Xuanjia Army expanded according to Xia Jing's plan, he would have surpassed even the status of a Primary Sixth Rank Commander in terms of military scale.

No matter how large the Xuanjia Army was, it couldn't accommodate Xia Jing's grand vision. After some bargaining, Xia Jing's Dragon Cavalry Battalion gained 1,000 soldiers, the Xuanjia Soldiers Battalion received 800, and five additional Xuanjia Warships were allocated.

Despite this, Xia Jing privately complained to Zhao Xing, "Old Xiang is stingy! Only giving me these scraps, it's as if nothing was added."

Zhao Xing responded, "If you don't want them, why not lend them to me?"

Xia Jing grinned, "How could I lend them out? The warships are my primary wives, the cavalry and infantry are my secondary wives. How can I share my wives with you?"

"Wow, Xia Jing, your 'wives' amount to a total of over 18,000 troops. Truly befitting of a warrior!" Zhao Xing teased.

"Ha ha ha!" Xia Jing laughed heartily.

Xia Jing was clearly just showing off, and Zhao Xing gave him the emotional support he wanted. After all, praising Xia Jing's "virility" was exactly what he needed.

While the Zhenhai Army and Xuanjia Army expanded slightly, the Shenwei Army caused quite a stir.

After consecutive victories, particularly following the capture of Fire Dragon Pass, both Wen Shaoyang and Liao Rulong were reaping the benefits. The spoils of war were being transported back in cartloads.

The wealth included Fire Crystals, Earth Fire Lotus, and various other valuable fire-element treasures that were highly prized across the Divine Court's Army.

With more money came the desire for better "wives."

Liao Rulong wasted no time in trading in his "first wives"—lower fifth-grade warships. He replaced all of them.

He now boasted five superior fifth-grade Dragonbone Warships and fifteen superior fifth-grade Dragonhead Warships.

He also procured thirty mid-grade Fifth-Grade Warships, including Ruyi, Black Jiao, Flying Serpent, and Jiaoque Warships from the Tiger Jiao Army.

Liao Rulong's forces originally consisted of over 70,000 soldiers, but his effective combat units were only about 25,000 strong. The rest were stationed in supply cities.

Wen Shaoyang's force was similar in size, though his combat units were slightly smaller, numbering less than 20,000.

Yang An and Jia Pu had initially considered doubling their forces, combining Wen Shaoyang's and Liao Rulong's troops into a total force of 100,000 combat soldiers.

However, various considerations led them to delay this plan for rapid expansion. Instead, they added 3,000 and 5,000 troops to Wen Shaoyang and Liao Rulong's forces, respectively.

The number of personnel in supply cities remained unchanged, as the Shenwei Army's logistics and supply capabilities were already overabundant.

Moreover, since a portion of Zhenhai Army personnel were also idle, the supply force was more than sufficient to meet the demands of all three armies.

"Liao Rulong's optimal command capacity is about 30,000 troops, with 50,000 being his absolute limit," Jia Pu remarked. "Wen Shaoyang is a bit more capable, but even he can't effectively command more than 70,000."

In Xier Prefecture, Jia Pu and the one-armed Yang An were poring over maps and intelligence reports, discussing the situation.

"If we expand their forces further, it will only become a burden."

Yang An nodded in agreement.

After a brief pause, Jia Pu cautiously said, "Lord, there is another option we could consider."

"No," Yang An shook his head decisively. "I know what you're thinking, but stripping Liao Rulong of his authority immediately after taking Fire Dragon Pass would leave him disheartened."

"You're right, my lord." Jia Pu had been suggesting that Chen Shijie, Long Xiao, and Zhao Xing be granted independent commands, separating them from Liao Rulong's chain of command.

This would have eased Liao Rulong's burden, allowing Shenwei Army to expand without overwhelming its commanders.

However, Yang An recognized that it was not the right time to restructure the command, especially not after a major victory.

"Liao Rulong has just led his troops to victory, and he hasn't yet had the opportunity to prove his worth. We should let him grow into the role. Besides, restructuring now would create unnecessary tension," Yang An explained.

"Understood," Jia Pu nodded. "And what about Zhao Xing?"

Zhao Xing had accumulated over a million merit points, ranking third in the Shenwei Army, just behind Wen Shaoyang and Liao Rulong, both of whom were already Primary Sixth Rank Commanders.

As of now, Zhao Xing still held the rank of Lower Seventh Rank with the title of Nine-Section Commander.

Jia Pu had been following Zhao Xing's contributions closely, from his infiltration of Fire Dragon Pass to his leadership in crossing Flame Mountain, noting that Zhao Xing had often been the one giving the key orders.

Considering Zhao Xing's strategic insights and his stellar performance in the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, Jia Pu believed Zhao Xing had the makings of a great commander and should be entrusted with greater responsibilities.

"Promote Chen Shijie to United Battalion Commander, and let Zhao Xing command a battalion independently. Whether he takes charge of a Shennong Battalion or a Mixed Battalion, I'll leave that to Liao Rulong to decide since he knows the situation best," Yang An decided.

Thus, Zhao Xing and Chen Shijie would remain at the Seventh Rank, but their responsibilities would expand significantly. This restructuring would help Liao Rulong manage his growing forces and prepare both men for future promotions.

Meanwhile, Long Xiao and Yu Ziqi remained in command of their respective battalions, with no changes to their responsibilities.

"Understood," Jia Pu nodded before departing to carry out the orders.

Back at Fire Dragon Pass, in the Marching Hall...

A puff of smoke rose from the incense burner below the Dai Zong Statue, carrying a hastily written military order.

Pu Zhong picked up the letter and quickly read through it.

"Who is it from?" Liao Rulong asked as he walked over.

"It's from Lord Yang," Pu Zhong replied.

"Oh?" Liao Rulong hurried over. "What did he say?"

"Lord Yang didn't agree to merge Wen Shaoyang's forces with ours, nor did he approve a large-scale expansion. He's only added 3,000 men to Wen Shaoyang's unit and 5,000 to ours," Pu Zhong reported.

"Only 5,000?" Liao Rulong muttered.

He had been the one to suggest the expansion and the merger of the two armies. After successive victories, including the defeat of the Wolf God Tribe, Liao Rulong's confidence had soared.

"I, Liao Rulong, should be commanding an army of 100,000!" He thought proudly.

But it seemed Yang An and Jia Pu were more cautious, only approving an increase of 5,000 soldiers.

Liao Rulong sighed, "Only 5,000? The strategist still doubts my command abilities. This time, I commanded the joint forces successfully. Haven't I already shown my progress? Why don't they trust me?"

Pu Zhong, ever the voice of reason, replied, "Take it slow. Prove yourself in a few more battles, and both Lord Yang and the strategist will come to trust your abilities."

Liao Rulong nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Yes, yes. What else did the letter say?"

"Lord Yang also made adjustments to the leadership roles. Chen Shijie has been promoted to United Battalion Commander, and Zhao Xing is being given his own battalion. As for the exact allocation, we're to decide it ourselves."

Liao Rulong raised his eyebrows but showed no objection. Chen Shijie's promotion was well deserved. He had been managing a single battalion, which was a bit of a waste of his talents. If not for his loyalty to Liao Rulong, Chen Shijie might have sought higher responsibilities elsewhere long ago. The promotion would give him the recognition he deserved.

As for Zhao Xing, with over a million merit points, it was only fitting he took command of his own battalion. In fact, Liao Rulong thought Zhao Xing might be capable of taking on even more responsibility.

"What do you think?" Liao Rulong asked Pu Zhong, ever trusting of his advisor's wisdom.

Pu Zhong thought for a moment before responding, "We could assign Chen Shijie to command the Nine-Section Battalion, the Fire Battalion, and the Earth Battalion. As for Zhao Xing, let him form a mixed battalion from personnel of various units. Given his versatility in combat and logistics, it suits him well."

Liao Rulong grinned. "I agree. Honestly, I feel like Zhao Xing is overqualified under my command. Without him, would I have had the chance to command the joint forces during the last campaign?"

Liao Rulong's praise for Zhao Xing wasn't misplaced. He recognized that Zhao Xing had the potential to take on much bigger roles.

"I'll give him free rein to pick whoever he wants from any of the units. He can select up to 3,000 soldiers, and there's no limit on how many logistics personnel he can gather. After all, Zhao Xing is one of the few Shennong Officers skilled in the advanced techniques of the Self School, which makes him invaluable for logistics."

It was a generous offer. Liao Rulong was effectively giving Zhao Xing a reinforced mixed battalion, with no restrictions on its composition. Given the rarity of Shennong Officers like Zhao Xing, his ability to organize logistics would be a crucial asset to the entire Shenwei Army.

From another perspective, Liao Rulong was quite fortunate. Under his command were figures like Yu Ziqi, Long Xiao, Chen Shijie, and Zhao Xing, each of whom was highly talented. He could also command Xia Jing from the Xuanjia Army and Jiang Ming and Li Que from the Zhenhai Army.

Although Liao Rulong's overall army size wasn't the largest, in terms of high-ranking officers, his team was first-rate.

It was precisely because of this strong team that Liao Rulong dared to entertain ideas of expanding his army to 100,000 soldiers.

"Very well, let's go find them and share the good news," Liao Rulong said with a smile. "We have to keep this alliance solid. If any of these big names are unhappy, the whole coalition could fall apart."

He remembered how Xia Jing had barely tolerated the earlier incident where Liao Rulong sent troops ahead without permission. Xia Jing had let it slide only because of his close relationship with Zhao Xing. Without Zhao Xing, the alliance could have fractured.

As Liao Rulong and Pu Zhong headed towards the Nine-Section Battalion to find Zhao Xing, they were met by a guard who informed them that Zhao Xing had left angrily about half an hour ago.

"Left angrily?" Liao Rulong frowned. "What happened?"

"I don't know, sir. He didn't say anything to me," the guard replied.

Liao Rulong scowled. "He wasn't dragged off by Xia Jing, was he?"

Pu Zhong shook his head. "I doubt it. Xia Jing's Dragon Cavalry Battalion is still stationed north of the city. They haven't moved."

"So what's going on then?"

"Let's go ask Chen Shijie," Pu Zhong suggested.

When they arrived at Chen Shijie's tent, they found him hurriedly clutching a letter and preparing to leave.

"Chen, what's going on? You look like you're in a rush," Liao Rulong asked.

"Commander, we need to gather our troops and head for City No. 98 right away!" Chen Shijie replied urgently.

"Why? Are we under attack?"

Chen Shijie handed Liao Rulong the letter. "It's from Zhao Xing. He said City No. 98 was raided by another army, and some of our men were injured. He wants us to get there immediately before the situation escalates."

Liao Rulong's face darkened with anger. "Raided? By another army? Who the hell dares to do something like that? Gather the troops now!"

Half an hour earlier, at City No. 98...

Wang Ji, Han Bing, and Che Shi Hai were overseeing the city's construction.

Since Fire Dragon Pass had been conquered, the next logical step was to advance the supply lines, which meant establishing new supply bases like City No. 98.

City No. 98 was strategically located north of the Flame Mountain Range in a region close to the Northern String Territory. It was an ideal location for establishing a foothold for the army's future movements.

Zhao Xing had personally approved the site. On the surface, it seemed like an inconspicuous choice, but Zhao Xing had deeper plans in mind.

While the rest of the army rested after the victory, Wang Ji, Han Bing, and Che Shi Hai had immediately set to work on the city's construction, planting Earth Fire Lotus and establishing the city's defenses.

But today, a group of uninvited guests appeared—a Black Dragon Warship descended on the city.

"What's going on? Who are they?" Wang Ji and Han Bing rushed outside, looking up at the massive warship in the sky.

"I don't know," Han Bing replied, his face tense. "We tried signaling them to identify themselves, but they only responded that they're from the Southern Expedition Army of the Pacification Corps, and they've come to requisition supplies from the city. Something doesn't feel right about this."

"You refused, right?" Wang Ji asked.

"Of course, but they ignored me. They're trying to land their warship inside the city. I suspect they'll take what they want by force," Han Bing replied grimly.

"So what do we do? Give them some supplies and hope they leave?" Che Shi Hai suggested, having arrived just in time to overhear the conversation.

"No time! They're landing!" Han Bing shouted, looking up as over a thousand soldiers began descending from the warship.

The leader, a man clad in a blue battle armor, descended first and demanded, "Who is in charge here? Step forward immediately!"

"I am Han Bing, of the Shenwei Army. What is the meaning of this intrusion?" Han Bing demanded, trying to stall for time.

The blue-armored commander responded coldly, "I am Qian Shougang, Primary Sixth Rank Commander of the Heilong Army and a Third-Class Inspector of the Southeastern Front."

"This city's supplies are now being requisitioned by my command. Prepare them immediately," he ordered arrogantly.

"Heilong Army?" Han Bing's eyes narrowed. "How much do you require, and for what purpose? Do you have official documentation of this requisition?"

Han Bing continued his attempt to delay, but Qian Shougang had no patience for bureaucracy. "I said, this city is being requisitioned! You don't seem to understand, so I'll make it clear—step aside, or I'll have my men take what they need."

He waved his hand, and his soldiers immediately headed for the Earth Fire Lotus fields.

Wang Ji, always quick to anger, shouted, "Hold it! You don't even have proper documentation, and now you're just taking supplies by force? This is robbery!"

With a cold sneer, Qian Shougang unleashed a wave of force, striking Wang Ji down. He fell to the ground unconscious.

"You dare speak to me in such a manner?" Qian Shougang glared at the soldiers. "Anyone else wish to challenge me?"

Back in the present...

As soon as Zhao Xing received word from Che Shi Hai, he knew things were bad.

"Boss, City No. 98 is being raided! Han Bing and Wang Ji have both been injured!"

Zhao Xing's face darkened with fury. "Who did this?"

Before Che Shi Hai could respond, the communication was abruptly cut off.

"Damn it!" Zhao Xing cursed as he quickly gathered his things and called for Long Xiao. Together, they prepared to depart immediately.

Long Xiao didn't hesitate. As soon as he heard about the situation, he mustered 500 soldiers from the Xiaoqi Battalion and boarded a Swordfish Airship to head for City No. 98 at full speed.

Zhao Xing, meanwhile, sent two paper cranes—one to inform Chen Shijie and another to notify Xia Jing, who was stationed north of the city.

As the airship sped through the clouds, Long Xiao finally asked, "What exactly happened?"

Zhao Xing's expression was grim. "I'm not entirely sure, but I have a guess."

Based on the clues from Che Shi Hai, the term "requisition" suggested it was a Da Zhou army. Moreover, since the force was led by a Primary Sixth Rank commander, it had the authority to requisition supplies from lower-ranked logistics forces.

Normally, such requisitions were only meant for emergencies—situations where an army needed supplies after a defeat or in preparation for a critical battle.

But for this kind of requisition to result in violence was unusual.

Zhao Xing suspected that it had to do with one thing: the Earth Fire Lotus.

Since the Shenwei Army had conquered Fire Dragon Pass, news of the Earth Fire Lotus they had acquired had spread throughout the military. Many armies had already requested seeds from Liao Rulong, as Earth Fire Lotus was a key resource for crafting fire-resistant battle gear, crucial for fighting the Fire Demon Tribe.

However, Liao Rulong had been reluctant to share much, as he wasn't short on spoils to trade for other necessities.

Could it be that someone had come to take the Earth Fire Lotus by force?

"My guess is they're after the Earth Fire Lotus," Zhao Xing speculated grimly.

"Those bastards!" Long Xiao cursed. "We risked our lives for those! Who would be stupid enough to try and steal from us?"

Zhao Xing said nothing, scanning the battlefield map to check for any unusual troop movements in the area.

The Shenwei Army had gained a reputation for its strength, so any army bold enough to challenge them would have to be formidable.

But no suitable candidates showed up on the map.

"The battle map hasn't updated yet," Zhao Xing thought, frustrated.

Regardless of the situation, Zhao Xing had already made up his mind. He wasn't going to let this slide.

Wang Ji and Han Bing were his comrades, people he trusted and relied on.

No one could touch his people and get away with it.

"Long Xiao, if it comes to a fight, don't hold back! Between the two of us, we have over two million merit points. I'm not worried about losing a few."

Long Xiao grinned. "I've been docked merit points before, no big deal. We can always earn more later, but this is an insult that cannot be ignored. A sword never tolerates such disgrace!"